China - Beijing - The Forbidden City

Friday, 19 April 2019

Our second stop was the Forbidden City, the emperor's palace for the last two dynasties (Ming and Qing). The central area, consisting of large courtyards and imposing gates, was the "official" part of the Forbidden City. Off to sides, behind secure walls, are the living areas which are more intimate and inviting. The complex occupies over 250 acres and has hundreds of structures and thousands of rooms. It was built with Confucian sensibilities in mind. Entering the Forbidden City is truly a trip back in time.

The first plaza leads up to the Gate of Supreme Harmony. A small channel, the "Golden Water", flows through this plaza.

A pair of bronze lions guard the Gate of Supreme Harmony. This lion is female, as indicated by the left paw resting on a lion cub. The male, on the other side of the gate, has his right paw resting on a ball. Virtually all official entrances are flanked by a pair of lions; indeed many lesser entrances have lions -- banks, shops, restaurants, hotels, even homes -- although few are this large!

After passing through the Gate of Supreme Harmony, you reach another plaza that leads to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the most important state functions took place. You could peek through the windows to see the interior, but it was only dimly visible and did not seem to be well kept.

The side walls around the large plazas hold pavilions and gates that lead to the living areas of the palace. The golden roofs indicate that this is a royal complex.

Beyond the Hall of Supreme Harmony is a small pavilion, the Hall of Middle Harmony. It is essentially the emperor's "green room" before entering the Hall of Supreme Harmony for official functions.

The terraces surrounding the Hall of Middle Harmony (between the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony) reminded me of an Indian stepwell.

The edges of most royal roofs had this line-up of figures, headed by an official riding a rooster, and ending with a dragon, all an attempt to ward off evil spirits.

A closer look at a man-riding-rooster figure.

Behind the walls of the central area, this is an example of a smaller courtyard where the royal family had their living quarters. Now it has been converted into souvenir shops.

At the far end of the Forbidden City are the Imperial Gardens. This large garden has all of the elements of a formal Chinese garden: trees, rocks, water, and pavilions. It is a tranquil oasis in the midst of the bustling royal capital.

A moat surrounds the Forbidden City. The Gate of Divine Prowess is the modern exit from the Forbidden City.